Neither Brown nor Blair directly denied to Marr or Frost in their respective interviews that the reported conversations did occur. They simply said they would not comment on private conversations. “There is nothing that you could ever say to me now that I could ever believe” is almost certainly a true quote and joins “Gordon is psychologically flawed” in the canon of TeeBeeGeeBee mutual insults.

Tony is reported to be considering moving the Chancellor, after the election, to a new “super-department” combining the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development. With an office next to the broom cupboard. Shades of Howe being made deputy PM by Thatcher in her third term…

Peston’s book Brown’s Britain: How Gordon Runs the Show says Tony told the Chancellor last March that he had decided to “pre-announce” a decision to step down in the autumn. Mr Brown is said to have told him this was “crazy”. The Prime Minister’s closest cabinet allies – John Reid, Tessa Jowell, and Fatty Falconer – got wind of the plan and, along with Cherie, talked him out of it.

Tomorrow they will play happy families with Milburn on the same platform. Watch their body language.